Chapter 14

Oh, quick backstory for the twin doctors.

Mengele fled to South America after WW2. For this story I'm saying he was still fascinated with twins and he met a pair (orphaned). He brought them in, but somehow the twins became his students, not subjects. Imagine they're 50-ish?

Mount Justice, December 15, 6:00 am

The mood in the cave was somber.

"He's fine." Was muttered around the group of young heroes. "Everything will be fine." Was another common phrase.

They all knew it was a lie.

"There is a mission, if you all feel up to it." Red Tornado announced. The team traded glances and stood.

"No use just sitting around." Jaime reasoned. Cassie followed him, along with Bart. Gar dragged his lizard body over, and morphed into a sad beagle. Red Robin kept to the edge of the group. Conner and M'gann stood in the back. The newest addition, Arrowette, stood front and center. She had been brought in by Roy, and was training under Artemis. Her red uniform was almost identical to what Artemis' had once been, except she wore a white skirt over her pants.

"There is criminal activity happening on an oil rig a few miles off the cost of Costa Rica.

"We'll take care of it," Arrowette assured the android. The group slogged to the bioship.

In the ship Arrowette looked at the depressed group.

"Ok, I never knew this Nightwing guy, cause no one let me meet his stand in, and the original was out of action, right? But it seems he is pretty popular, which is good, but it's tickin' me off right now. We have to focus on ourselves guys!" M'gann smiled at eh speech.

"Yes, he wouldn't like us slacking off." She agreed.

"I know, but I just can't shake it off." Gar mumbled. Arrowette smiled.

"I think you just said the magic words!" She announced, pulling out an Iphone and pressing play after a couple seconds. Taylor Swift began blasting through the bioship, causing groans and cheers among the few present.

M'gann caught Arrowette's eyes as they flew along, Taylor Swift playing away, and smiled, mentally thanking the girl.

Unknown Location, December 15, 5:00 pm

Nightwing didn't know how long he had been unconscious, but he knew a long time had passed. Nightwing's torso was on fire, his head ached, and his joints all felt like they had been popped out and into place one by one.

A groan escaped Nightwing's lips before he could stop it. Nightwing froze, the tensing of his muscles excruciating, but he didn't make a new noise.

"Hello?" He called out cautiously. His voice echoed softly. No one was present besides Nightwing. Taking a steadying breath, Nightwing was shocked to notice the rhythmic beeping. A quick (and painful) look left showed him a heart monitor. Nightwing knew, if they heart monitor spiked or dropped, someone would come running. Just not someone he wanted.

Nightwing felt his memory tug at him. He felt guilt like never before, but he didn't know why. With another steadying breath, Nightwing let those feelings sink to place where he could dig through them later.

Leather straps bound Nightwing around the chest and thighs, with individual straps around each wrist and ankle, and a final strap about his forehead. Cautiously, Nightwing rotated his wrists, feeling the tightness of the bindings and how they were secured. He sighed with relief that no one was present, because he was pretty sure what he had to do if his first plan didn't work.

Nightwing wiggled his wrists, feeling how raw they were from the straps and letting the blood assist him in getting the strap as high on his left wrist as he could. Then, Nightwing used his fingers and worked at the buckle. It took his five minutes of rubbing, stretching and prodding to finally release the buckle. The free hand tingled as proper blood flow was restored. Nightwing was panting from the effort. Bending his arm, Nightwing reached for the buckle on his chest. He couldn't reach it. But, Nightwing cold wiggle his arm and contort it to slip out from under the strap. Nightwing hissed at the pull of his muscles. He watched the heart monitor. It was still steady. Good.

Once again, it took a few minutes to unto the buckle, which was tight about his chest. Nightwing kept his breathing steady as it came undone. Next, Nightwing reaching over and freed his right hand. His hands then freed his head.

Sitting up, Nightwing knew exactly how Frankenstein's monster must have felt, all his muscles spasming painfully as if he had never used them before. Nightwing watched the monitor; it had sped up slightly, but not too much. After a minute, it slowed.

Nightwing carefully undid his legs and slid from the table. He looked over the monitor. He couldn't take it with him, he couldn't leave it behind.

"What to do, what to do?" Nightwing asked himself. He had a risky plan. Nightwing took a few more calming breaths as he reached for the table of medical instruments near the monitor. He grabbed a scalpel and a bone saw, which he was glad to say looked unused.

Nightwing kept his breathing calm, and with the bone saw, took a vicious swipe down the arm with the monitor on it. The monitor he pulled from his finger and clasped as tightly as he could about his bleeding vein. With this other hand, he took the cloth from underneath the tools, causing them to clatter painfully loud onto the ground, and tied a turret with his teeth. He then squeezed his arm in between his legs. It took two painfully long minutes, but the turret stopped the blood, and the monitor flatlined. Nightwing removed the bloody heart monitor from his open vein, and with his limp hand, grabbed the scalpel. He almost dropped it.

Standing was nauseating, but Nightwing ran towards the door. He looked at either side of the door, choosing the opening side. He would hope only one person ran in and sneak out as they burst through, and hoped they didn't see him.

Footsteps echoed from behind the door. Nightwing look around the room for another escape, something he should have done first, but saw none.

"This does not meet fire regulation standards." He huffed.

The door burst open and someone screamed in Spanish. The figure that ran by was a woman, hair more white than black. Nightwing slipped behind her, walking straight into a large man with the same hair coloring. He said something, that on any other day Nightwing would have translated, but today he couldn't.

"Sorry." Nightwing grunted, shoving his limp hand and scalpel forward. The man cried out, causing the woman to turn. Nightwing dodged left and rolled past the falling man.

"Damn!" He grunted, the world swirling. He had also lost his weapon. The woman screamed something, but Nightwing jumped up and ran foreword. A gun shot caught his calf. Nightwing continued to run into his foreword momentum, he saw a door, and no other way out. Cursing, Nightwing threw his shoulder into the door as he approached it.

Guards turned, surprised to see someone that wasn't the twins come out. They heard yelling from the open door. Apparently it was a soundproof room.

Guns all turned towards Nightwing. The woman appeared in the doorway. Nightwing panted, his adrenaline draining away with his blood.

"God, I could use a very convenient arrival right now." Nightwing muttered.

"You won't get one." Mercy said, stepping to the front. Nightwing saw her and smiled.

"You sure?" He asked. Mercy smiled.

"Arrival means they appear what if they've been here?' She asked. Before a man could blink, the android whirled around and fired rubber bullets into six men's foreheads, knocking them out instantly. The scientist screamed, but Nightwing leapt back and kicked her behind the door, and slammed it shut. He rolled to duck under bullets and hid behind a plant. Taking deep breaths, Nightwing prepared to fight when it went silent. Peeking up, all Nightwing saw was Mercy and a pile of bodies.

"Ah, thank you." he said, standing and collapsing as he put weight on his injured leg. "Though, what happened to Mercy?" He asked, as the android before him shed her suit to reveal a black leotard, fishnet tights, and knee high combat boots. She then picked up a jacket off of one of the men, and slid it casually over her shoulders.

"Mercy is most likely in repair, Luthor should have recognized the deceit by now."

"Thanks Commander." Nightwing said, and repeated it as she lifted him, and said it one last time as he passed out.

"I have Nightwing, where should I leave him?" Commander asked Oracle. Barbra's heart felt like it stopped.

"Oracle?"

"Yes, I'm here. Bring him… bring him to Mount Justice. I'll inform the others." Barbra was bouncing in her chair. He was alive! And coming home!

Barbra typed her message rapidly. A tap at her window startled her just before she hit send. Barbra's cameras saw nothing.

Barbra started typing one last sentence.

A crash from the far window made Barbra scream, and spin in her chair. A giant gorilla barreled towards her. Barbra turned, smacking her hand on her precious keyboard, hoping she hit enter, and pushed her chair back, just dodging as the gorilla smashed the computer.

Barbra pulled escirma sticks from slots on her chair, and held them up. The Gorilla stood and turned slowly towards her. Barbra sensed the presence behind just before the electricity spasms rocketed her body off the chair. Barbra groaned as she looked up at the gorilla and the dome hovering over her.

"Ah, the great Oracle, we have you at last."

Mount Justice, December 17, 8:00 pm

Dick felt himself awaken before he actually knew he was awakening. Voices from far away were coming very close, very fast.

"He'll wake up soon, right?"

"He should, I can feel his consciousness stirring."

"Should we tell him?"

"Tell him what?"

"The thing?"

"We should.

"We totes should not."

"Why not?"

"Why?"

"I'm sure he'll know, but if he doesn't…He'll feel terrible either way. Maybe we should give him some peace?"

"For him? He doesn't need peace, he needs to get his shit together. He needs to act, hell we all need to act! We should be out there!"

"He needs rest. Look at these Litchenberg scars!"

"You always take his side, why do you keep kissing his ass, he isn't someone you need to impress anymore."

"Shut up! He's my friend!"

"Friend, sure."

"Guys, he's"

"You're always bitching about what he does!"

"Gar!"

"Yeah cause, if you hadn't noticed, he isn't exactly the best leader I've ever seen."

"You've never seen him lead!"

"I've seen what he has done plenty. Look at the shape of this team. We're always at each other's throats waiting for an argument."

"In my opinion, this can be discussed later."

"You ain't leader anymore, fishboy."

"Hey! I take offense!"

"Sorry L'gan. But hey, aren't you on my side? You always complain about Nightwing's leadership skills."

"I may, but he's actually a very good leader. He knows how to minimize causalities and doesn't ask for more than what others can give him."

"What do you say to that, Kaldur?"

"That was a one time thing, and it was an emergency…"

"Oh, shut it Arrowette, what do you have against the guy?"

"Don't act like your all high and mighty, Roy. You always bitched to him during the Teen Titans too!"

"Gar, your language!"

"Guys."

"Me! I've always been trying to help out!"

"Likely story."

"Guys!"
"Nightwing is the best mentor ever!"

"He's mental!"

"Guys!"

"You're mental!"

"Don't take your frustration out on her!"

"Guys!"

"Why can't you just calm down?"

"Shut up! You're all against him!"

"Stop acting like a brat!"

"GUYS! SHUT UP!" M'gan's roar shocked everyone into silence and Dick finally was able to force himself fully awake.

Dick felt the hard cot beneath him and a strap over his chest. Faces hovered over him, blurred by the light in his eyes. Dick panicked. He had escaped, he knew he had escaped! Unless, unless it really was Mercy who had helped him, and brought him back?

"Wing, calm down. It's us. You're safe." It sounded like M'gan.

"Let me go."

"You were flailing about; we didn't want you to hurt yourself. I'm going to release you now."

"Let me go!" Dick struggled against the bindings. They were much weaker this time.

"Calm down, Wing." M'gann said, as she tried to undo the restraints.

"Meg, maybe you should back off, and wait until he calms a bit?" Was that Conner?

"Just let me out!" Dick yelled, pulling at the restraints. Meg somehow freed the top restraint, and Dick shot himself out of the one around his legs, throwing himself off the cot and rolling onto the floor. He saw bodies back up. Dick looked up and around, and tried to stand, but his calf wouldn't hold his weight.

"Wing. It's us. You're safe." M'gann was in front of him, her familiar green skin cool to the touch as she laid a hand on Dick's face. Dick focused on breathing. M'gann had a sandy smell, it was familiar in its oddness. Dick opened his eyes slowly. "Better?" M'gann asked. Dick nodded.

Dick looked around. He saw Conner, Jaime, Roy, Bart, L'gan, Gar, Cassie, and a girl he didn't recognize but looked a lot like Artemis had about ten years back.

"Wha-" Dick was about to ask, but he stopped. His eyes scanned the group, and his heart rate picked up.

"Wing?" Conner asked. Dick swallowed.

"No… I didn't…I…" Dick remembered. He remembered the satisfaction of finally being able to pass out, he remembered waking and feeling horrible guilt for something he didn't know what for. He knew now. A remembering how he forgot tore at him.

"I… I'm so-I'm so sorry!" Dick sank to his knees, M'gann holding his weight easily. She knew.

"It's ok, we'll find her." M'gann comforted. Gar raced forward, as did Roy. Conner hovered a little behind M'gann, ready to be there if help was needed. The others left.

"A bit of a crybaby, no?" Cissie asked, pulling out an arrow from her quiver.

"Actually, not. You do realize he just remembered that he gave the name of a girl he loved to a group that will no doubt end up killing her?" L'gan pointed out. Cissie stopped cleaning her arrow.

"A girl he loved?" Cissie emphasized the end of the word.

"Loves, loved, he still cares." Jaime broke in. Jaime flopped onto the couch, and Bart wiggled into his side.

"That… has to hurt." She finally agreed. Cissie thought for a minute. "Does... does Oracle love, did she love him back? At some point?" Cissie asked after a few minutes of silence. The gathered group traded looks.

"I think they're still crazy for each other…" L'gan started.

"But they know they're crazy for each other," Jaime continued.

"So they're too scared to see where it takes them." Bart finished. Cissie nodded.

"There, my opinion of him is a little better." Cissie returned the arrow to her quiver and left the room.

Metropolis, December 20, 11:45 pm

Conner, M'gann, Artemis (as Tigress), Wally and Kaldur hovered outside the tall, dark building.

You're sure she's here? Conner asked. M'gann responded with an affirmative feeling.

Either Luthor can mimic mental calls, or she's here.

"What are you kids doing here?"

"Superman! You said you were at the Watchtower this weekend!" M'gann turned, and a fist the face threw her into the building.

"Super- you're not superman!" Tigress growled. Project Match smiled, his eyes glowing red just as lasers shot out.

Conner leapt and tackled the floating horror, was blasted away, hitting the building. Conner blinked and watched his clone get blasted by water, and frozen. He watched Tigress leap from Wally's running form and stab something into the ice. Tigress leapt into the air and was caught by Wally. Kaldur appeared next to Conner and helped him out of the rubble.

M'gann appeared with a limp red head in her arms.

"Run!" Artemis called as the thing exploded. Match burst from the ice, roaring in rage, but the group had fled.

Mount Justice, December 21, 5:00 am

Jason and Tim watched Dick. It was as if he had never awoken from his depression. They had gotten Dick out of the mock suit and into some sweats. Jason had examined the suit, finding it really was an old suit, with the Kevlar lining removed. Jason had no idea how Luthor had gotten it.

The sound of the Bioship landing seemed to mildly interest Dick, but then he relax back into staring at the static on TV.

"Hey, you're watching my favorite channel." Conner said, walking in from the garage and leaning behind Dick. Dick grunted.

Cissie watching from behind her book. She was still judging Nightwing, and as far as looks went, he was perfect, she thought, but mental, he seemed broken.

"The others came walking in. Cissie saw that Kaldur had someone in his arms. She was hugging Kaldur's neck tightly, looking into the room. Cissie thought she looked ok to walk, so why wasn't she?

Tim and Jason saw this woman and their faces lit up. Cissie looked back at Nightwing. His face was familiar… why?

The woman saw Nightwing. Cissie saw the way her green eyes lit up, and decided, yes, the woman still loved Nightwing.

"You know, there are other things to watch, Dick." Conner said. Cissie frowned. It apparently wasn't an insult to call Nightwing 'dick,' so they must mean 'Dick,' as in short for 'Richard.'

Nightwing grunted. Cissie saw the woman, who must be Oracle, scoffed. Nightwing seemed to freeze. Slowly, the young man turned and saw Oracle in Kaldur's arms.

"Babs!" He cried, leaping gracefully over the couch and Conner, surprising Cissie with his grace, and racing over to the woman. Kaldur let the woman's legs drop, and as Nightwing approached, she launched herself into his arms. Cissie watched Nightwing spin the woman around and the two just held each other tightly, Nightwing with his face buried in the woman's shoulder-blade length hair.

For a second, Nightwing's face lifted to look at the woman. Cissie recognized him then, with that heartbreaking smiled.

"Richard Grayson." She whispered. Tim looked over at her; he had apparently forgotten she was there by the look on his face.

"Babs, I'm so sorry." Dick said, supporting her in his arms.

"Don't be. I'm ok!" Barbra assured him. Barbra mourned for Dick, just a little bit. His face looked tortured, and not just because he had been, his eyes were too old for his face. Barbra traced a Litchenberg bruise up his face.

"That one, thank the lord, is fading a bit." Dick said. He scooped Barbra up and walked to his seat on the couch and sat down.

The two just sat and hugged each other. Cissie looked around, and from the small smiles around, she guessed this had, at one point, been common.

Jaime, Bart, Gar, L'gann came in, with Cassie flying past them.

"Barbra!" Cassie squealed. The boys seemed to notice the couple on the couch. Barbra waved at them, but didn't try to move from Dick's arms. Dick leaned back and the two just kind of rocked together. Tim walked over the new YJ group and swallowed nervously.

"Is that bet still going on?" He asked.

"You mean the one whether or not Dick and Babs get back together?" Bart asked. Tim nodded.

"Of course! An awkward forced coming out of one of our best friends by making him confess to sleeping with an evil, though not at the time, clone of our other friend doesn't kill a bet!" Bart said. CIssie looked up at Time.

"You slept with an evil clone?" She asked, because she had pegged Tim as a virgin.

"He wasn't evil at the time. And he still isn't evil!"

"But he is." Conner called from across the room." Tim turned, his face looking defeated.

"Why do you say that?" He asked.

"We met him, saving her." Conner pointed at Barbra, who was lost whispering to Dick. "I'll admit, we were quick to judge earlier, and that was bad. But he is evil now."

"They call him Match. His memories are… they're there, but he doesn't care." M'gann said. "I got a quick glimpse. He isn't apathetic, but he is completely non-emphatic." Tim's head dropped.

The zeta beams announced Batman, Superman, Flash, and Black Canary.

"When Batman walked in, he zeroed in on Dick and Barbra. The two looked up, finally.

"Bats." Dick said. Barbra slid off Dick's lap. Dick stood. Cissie noticed the tense air. Batman had crossed the air in a second and enveloped Dick in a sea of black. The air relaxed.

Batman back away, I'm glad you're both safe.

"It's been three days, why didn't you come earlier?" Tim pointed out; apparently the news about his boyfriend had upset him. Batman looked over at Tim.

"I asked no one to tell him until I knew Barbra was safe." Dick told his little brother. Batman's look went to Dick now.

"Dick." Barbra sighed. She suddenly made a face. "Does that mean no one has told you?"

"Told me what?" Dick asked. Jason sighed.

"No one's told him. We don't want to."

"Told me what?"

"He should know."

"Know what?"

"I think I'd rather know why Luthor wanted Barbra." Batman interrupted.

"I was asked to write a code to open the way to another dimension."

"Did you?"

"I had to. But I put as many bugs in there as I could, to slow them down. I'd say, even if I were to go back and remove the bugs, it'd take at least three months."

"Great, we have time, what is it you think I should know?" Dick asked impatiently.

"Dick, it really, I shouldn't have mentioned it." Barbra said. "You need sleep." Barbra declared.

"I'm fine, I've had three days of recovery, and it's enough."

"You're limping."

"It's almost completely healed; I even used crutches the last two days."

"You're bruised and battered, and I can see the bags under your eyes, you're tired."

"So are you, you look exhausted. Have you slept the last three days?"

"I'm fine, you're the one who needs rest. I mean, after the last ten months and then some intense torture?"

"Yeah, it's a wake up call."

"Shut up! You're forcing yourself into the fire!"

"That's how life is. You just go from frying pan to fire, jump back and repeat."

"Get yourself back in that frying pan this instant!" Barbra yelled. Dick cracked and smile, and Barbra couldn't hold onto her frown. The two were laughing with the others smiling to themselves.

"Damn, only you get me to say stupid stuff like that." Barbra sighed.

"Yeah, well, I'm special." Dick shrugged. "Now come on, you're exhausted." Dick lifted Barbra off the couch and carried her towards the rooms in the back of the cave.

The room heard their conversation fade away.

"When do we tell him she can almost walk by herself without any issues?" Jason asked. Conner shrugged.

"I'm glad she got Dick out of here. We have a big discussion ahead of us, and he isn't well enough to participate." Kaldur said. The group came to attention.

"Barbra told us everything on the ride over. It's trouble." M'gann said. Batman nodded, and the impromptu meeting began.

Ok, so, originally this was two chapters, and maybe I should have kept it two chapters, but it's one.

Anyway, a new threat arises!
The team has a challenge before them greater than they have yet faced!

What sacrifices must be made for mankind?

Find out soon!

Love,

Burning Bright